Dakota Wesleyan University Collections

The Dakota Wesleyan University Archives contain the academic and administrative records of DWU, as well as materials relating to the activities of its students, faculty and alumni. The collection documents people, events, publications, buildings, and grounds of DWU, located in Mitchell, Davison County, South Dakota. Dakota Wesleyan University was formerly known as Dakota University, 1885-1904.

Francis H. Case was a newspaper editor, a rancher, and a Republican member of both the House and Senate. His time in the House and Senate was focused on increasing the efficiency of national road and waterways, lowering government waste, and aided in the creation of Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City during World War II. The Case collection contains a wealth of information about South Dakota and national politics from the 1930s to the early 1960s.

Former Presidential candidate and Senator George McGovern was a prominent South Dakotan on the national stage. A graduate of Dakota Wesleyan University, he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1956, and served in the senate from 1962 to 1980. McGovern was appointed Special Assistant to the President and the first Director of the Food for Peace Program from 1960 to 1962. He also ran for president 3 times, capturing the party nomination in 1972. After leaving public office, McGovern ran an inn, wrote several books, was a UN ambassador, and spoke around the world. He passed away October 21, 2012. The McGovern Collection at Dakota Wesleyan primarily is comprised of his papers after 1980, over seven thousand photographs, and a large quantity of campaign memorabilia.